Hikari
by Teefa and Co
Summary: In the ancient language, from before the Aeth'er Wars, the name Rutee meant Light. And as she grew up, she began to emphasize the word in her thoughts and actions.


**Hikari**

"So, a baby," whispered a young man of about twenty three, "Do the doctors know if it will be a boy or a girl?"

"No…but I can tell it's a girl," his wife answered back.

They were an elegant couple, the woman in an immaculate white dress and the man in navy trousers and a white shirt. Both had raven hair, pale skin and bright, violet eyes which suggested ancestry from the Mist Islands.

He asked her, "How do you know if the doctors don't?"

There was a twinkle in her eyes as they trailed down towards her stomach, her left hand already rubbing it gently. "Just call it woman's intuition…something tells me I'm right."

"Well, I won't argue," her husband said, "When you're like this nothing changes your mind."

"There's a warm light within me…it comforts me as it nourishes the child I carry. I believe she will grow up to do great things to protect those she cares about with love," the woman said, more to herself than anything.

He replied, "It must feel wonderful to be connected to our unborn daughter in such a way; I could see how you'd say it was a light."

Suddenly, the woman felt a jolt of inspiration flow through her. "That's it! We'll name her, 'Rutee.' In the old tongue, from far before the Aeth'er Wars, it meant 'light.' A fitting name for one who will eventually bring such purity."

"That sounds very good, Chris," the man stated, "Well said for the wife of a ruin fanatic such as myself." He laughed at his own joke.

"It's only because I'm as fascinated by your work as you are, Hugo," she whispered.

S...S

A two-and-a-half-year-old girl raced through the bright halls of the ornate mansion. She had her parents' dark hair and vivid eyes, and a playful look about her face. Her dress was bold crimson with a lacy collar and trim. She certainly looked to reflect the very world with which her name was taken.

"Daddy!" she called, "Dinner!"

The child raced into her father's office to see him hard at work. He was mulling over his notes on ancient civilizations, muttering about how his findings could enhance the lives of people today. His desires to help others had led to his work with Lens and ruins.

So focused on the parchment before him, Hugo didn't notice Rutee's entrance. But soon he was aware of a tugging at his clothes. A split second later, the little girl jumped onto his lap, giggling.

He scolded, "Now, now, young lady. Daddy is working. You know how important this is."

She put on her sternest face. "Almost dinner…Mommy said to come down. Then, we play!"

Hugo looked at his clock…it was nearly 5:30. "You're right; I must have gotten caught up again. Thanks, Rutee. I don't know what I'd ever do without you; you are my light."

He pet her head, listening to his daughter's giggles. Then, she jumped own and motioned for him to follow. The two raced to the dinning hall to find Chris and Emilio, Rutee's baby brother, seated at the table and the maids bringing the family's dinner.

S...S

"Why did Mommy and Daddy leave me?" a four-year-old Rutee asked, "They loved me…they should be back now.'

-Don't worry, it'll be okay. I'm with you,- assured the calm voice of her Swordian, Atwight.

No longer was she wearing the fancy dresses and bright smile. Now she had on a dull, gray dress…simple and tattered. And her eyes were full of tears, her smile now a frown.

The child whispered, "I've been here a long time, nearly a year. Daddy shoulda found me by now. He…must have given up."

Rutee held her Swordian close to her breast. One morning, out of the blue, her mother handed her the blade, telling her to keep it always. Two days later…she woke up in this strange place, an orphanage, with her parents nowhere to be found.

"He called me his light; why would he leave me all alone?" She fell to her knees and began sobbing greatly.

-Hush now,- said Atwight in a calming voice, -There's no need to cry. I'm sure being apart from you hurts your parents as much as it does you. They're searching…they just have yet to find you. Don't lose hope.-

"Maybe, I was kidnapped by people who want Daddy's money. They hid me here, and are trying to get Daddy to give them some before telling where I am," Rutee suggested.

Atwight told her, -I don't know. But all we can do now is to continue to keep light in your heart. Show a smile to these little ones and play as any normal child would. Friends will ease the time until you see your parents again.-

Rutee smiled and dried her eyes. "I will. And I'll never give up hope. I'll see Mommy and Daddy again…someday."

S...S

'It's been ten years,' thought Rutee, 'Maybe going home was just a childish fantasy. This is my family now…I have to help them in any way I can.'

She'd just finished wiping away the tears of yet another child…another just like she used to be. Questioning why his parents had left him, crying for them to come pick him up. Only, in his case, they had been killed by monsters returning from a pilgrimage whereas Rutee's had outright abandoned her.

'These kids need me; I understand their pain. I feel like I'm complete when I'm with them,' she mused.

Rutee knew it was a difficult choice; monsters had killed the parents of so many of her "siblings." But this place needed money to feed the children. So, she grabbed Atwight from the desk and walked outside.

The Swordian asked, -What are you doing, Rutee?-

In that instant, the girl freed her blade from the sheath. "What I need to do! I'm going to learn how to use a sword in battle. I'll hunt monsters to get the money we need to survive."

-Admirable,- Atwight replied, -You wish to give back to those who gave to you. Just please, don't be rash. I'd hate for something to happen to you.-

"I'll be okay. They just need a light to guide them. These people are like my family; I want to protect them," Rutee stated as she took a practice swing.

S...S

The mayor looked at the stern young woman before him. She had just presented him with three huge bags of Gald. In return, the brazen girl wanted to stop the demolition of the orphanage.

Rutee told him, "You can take this…or leave it. I worked hard to earn all this money; you won't find a princely sum like this so easily." The girl teasingly picked up some Gald and dropped it back in the bag.

His wife's mind seemed to alter between whether or not to accept. Rutee knew it was her desire for an art museum that started the whole demolition plan. But this was also a lot of money: Rutee's own funds, Hugo's reward for finding the Eye of Atamoni and Stahn's generous donation.

The mayor was quicker to decide as greed set in. "I'll take you up on that offer! The orphanage can stay open." He then went to begin counting his money. As he picked up and examined each piece, his wife's thoughts of protesting vanished.

"I'll just need that in writing," Rutee informed him, "So if anyone tries to start trouble…I can silence it." The underlying meaning was that she couldn't trust the mayor further than she could throw him.

The mayor quickly grabbed a piece of paper, wrote a note and signed his name. He wordlessly handed it back to the girl and returned to counting the money. Rutee took that moment to leave, excited to return home with the news.

She raced through Cresta's streets, full of excitement. Her eyes held a light that hadn't been seen in fifteen years…since the last time she'd lived with her mother and father. Soon, she arrived at the orphanage and ran inside.

"Director! The orphanage can remain open!" Rutee called as she entered.

Both sisters who ran the place entered and the young girl presented them with the document. There were tears of joy streaming down each of their faces; the young ones were safe. The older of the two embraced Rutee, holding close the child she discovered on her doorstep fifteen years past.

She whispered, "Thank you…for being our light."

Rutee smiled. "You're my family; of course I'll protect you."

S...S

Rutee lay awake in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She thought of all that had happened recently: being forced to fight her possessed father and blackmailed brother, avenging them by killing the one who split her family apart, saving the world and the sacrifice of Atwight and the other Swordians.

'Now…they're all gone,' mused Rutee, 'Everyone of my own blood is dead and so is my closest friend. It's a bittersweet victory for me; I'm alive but all alone.'

Cheers were still erupting from the locals about the return of light to the world. They made Rutee think about the nature of herself, of her past….

_-Your name, in an Ancient tongue, means light,- the voice of Atwight echoed through the room._

_A childish tone replied, "Really? So then I'll be like a light. I'll help the people here till Daddy comes to pick me up."_

The girl turned over on her side, staring at the wall. 'I was so innocent then. I wish I could go back to those times, before the truth of the world set in. Or back even further, when Father was still himself and I lived at home. But you can't ever go back…just move forward.'

Light…it had duel meaning to her. For one, it was the obvious sun that streamed down on her face, that she and her friends brought back to the world. But it was also herself, her name. And all her life she had brought it to others.

'It's who I am,' she thought, 'And I always hope to give myself to the ones I love.'

S...S

"Congratulations…it's a boy!" Philia exclaimed as she handed the baby to Rutee. She then left to give the family time alone and to tell the others.

The young woman was speechless; this was her first child. Rutee felt Stahn's arm encircle her as she beamed with pride, looking at the tiny life in her arms. A tear of joy fell down her face.

Finally, after a few moments, she whispered, "I…I'm not alone anymore. I have a flesh-and-blood relative at last."

Stahn bent down to get a closer look at his son. "And neither he nor I will let you be alone. We're going to be a family, as will all the orphans."

"I'll always take care of you," Rutee told her baby, "I'm going to give you all the love that was denied of me. You don't have to worry…Kyle."

"That's a wonderful name, Rutee. I know he'll grow up to be a strong person like us," remarked Stahn as he stared.

Rutee smiled at both members of her family. 'They all said I was a light as my name described. But I also needed light to see within the darkness that surrounded me. Stahn's love and warmth has begun to break through and now I have Kyle to do the same. To me…they are my light.'

- - - -

**Teefa's Last Words...**

Here's a little character analysis about Rutee and Light. It sort of came out of my twisted mind when I was working and had a free moment. The name thing started as a dumb joke in what I call "Stories I Create But Never Write Down." In it, Rutee's mother was from a special lineage and took her daughter's name from an ancient language that her people studied in addition to there own native one. Thinking about how Rutee reflected light as she looked back once she'd learned that made me think of how she actually was like a light in the darkness for many people. Then, the idea just wouldn't die…like most of my one-shots.


End file.
